Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, winners of the Nebraska Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest were announced by video presentation Thursday, June 25. 

A number of Northeast Nebraska papers won awards in the contest. 

The Niobrara Tribune won first place in the Class A Breaking News Photography category, with a 2019 flood photo by Valerie Zach called "Swept Away," and first place in the Class A Editorial category with editorials written by Valorie Zach. 

More than 3,400 separate entries, representing 10 dailies and 59 weeklies, were judged by members of the Illinois Press Association. Members of the Nebraska Press Association judged the Illinois contest earlier this year.